Punished Love
by nikkikoneko
Summary: Atem lets Seto punish him for loving someone
1. Punishment

PUNISHMENT  
(Yami POV)

The whip came down onto Atem's back. He wanted to scream, but all he could do was let a tear trickle down his cheek. He wanted to put Seto and himself into the Shadows; then he could have broken the chains that were tied around his wrists, which were bound to the ceiling in the middle of Seto's basement. He couls have done anything in the Shadows, but it would not have been fair.

'I can not be selfish,' he reminded himself again, as the whip came down again. This time he saw as well as felt the blood run down the front of his shoulder. 'I must be punished.' That was another thing he had to remind himself of to keep from killing Seto for whipping him so harshly.

"You've been very bad, Atem. You know that?" Atem didn't respond. Seto whipped him again, which made him flinch. "I said," this time he just cracked the whip, "did you know that?" Atem was so weak from being chained up for over an hour he could only nod. "Yes. You should know. That's why you came to me tonight," Seto said as he unchained Atem and settled him, face down, onto a bed that was down there.

"You know, I don't usually do that type of thing for kink." Seto was busying himself at a bookcase Atem hadn't seen before. He heard glass clinking. "Which, I guess it's a good thing that's not what you wanted, because, you know, I'm not into...that." Atem closed his eyes, sleep threatening to take him. Seto sat in a chair beside the bed. "This is going to be a bit cold, but it'll help with the pain and healing."

"NO!" Atem, feeling suddenly awake, yelled and then sat up. "Then what would have been the purpose of being whipped?"

"Yeah, that's what I wanted to ask you: Why did you ask me to whip you?"

"As punishment," Atem stated as he put his shirt back on. "Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. I wanted to help a friend." Just then it hit Seto. "Punishment?! For what?"

"Being bad, like you said." Atem stood and started for the door.

"I was reding a script. One you wrote, I might add," Seto accused. At the door at the top of the stairs Atem turned to face Seto. "Now, why did you need to be punished?"

Atem rolled his eyes and continued out the door. When he got to the front door, he waited for Kaiba. He didn't have to wait long; Seto was only a few paces behind him. "Why?" Seto repeated.

Atem, ignoring the question for the third time that day, said, "Thank you again for helping me. Mind if we do this again?" Seto shook his head. "Good. See you tomorrow."

Atem turned to open the door when Seto asked "Why?" again, this time in a gentle whisper.

Atem didn't turn around when he answered. "Because I am a bad person...spirit...what ever you want to call me. Most importantly, I am a bad friend," he said almost as softly. "Can we leave it at that?" He felt Seto nod and took it as a sing to leave. "Bye," he whispered.

He walked out, Seto closing the door behind him. On his way past the gates, he was so deep in thought, he bumped into Yugi, knocking the little one down. "Sorry, Yugi. I did not see you there," he mumbled. Yami kept walking, lost in the suddenpain in his chest where Yugi's head had hit one of the open whip marks.

"You're hurt." That was all Yugi had to say to bring Yami out of his thoughts.


	2. Consequences

CONSEQUENCES  
(Yami POV)

He stopped and slowly turned around to face Yugi. "How did you-?"

"I felt it."

Atem didn't understand. All of his emotions were locked away behind a solid wall. "You-?"

"Yes," Yugi said standing up.

"What kind of hurt?" Yami asked chalengingly, crossing his arms.

"Emotional." There was a small pause. "Why were you there?" he asked, pointing to Kaiba's house. Atem didn't answer. "I'll tell you why! Well, it can only be for two things: you're sleeping with him, or physical pain!" Yugi was starting to get angry, his voice raising to almost a yell.

"Calm down, little one."

"And," Yugi continued, ignoring his yami, "since Seto isn't like that, you're hurt more than I thought! Let me see."

"See what?"

"Wrists first." Atem hesitated, then held out his arms. Yugi looked them over and was satisfied when he saw there were no marks, not even old scars. He looked further and saw the same was true about the rest of his arm. "OK. Now take off your shirt-."

"WHAT?! No. No, that's where I draw the line. I will not take off my shirt in the middle of the street."

"We're not-."

"You know what I mean." With that, Yami turned and walked back to the game shop. He did not talk to Yugi, though he knew he was behind him.

But Yugi tried to make him talk. /Yami?/ he asked through their bond. No answer. He tried a different way. /Atem-?/

Atem growled.

//OK. Now that I have your attention: Who hurt you?// Again there was no answer. //I want to know. I have to know. If I don't know, I can't help you.// Yami sighed as he walked up the stairs into their home. "You know who's hurting me right now? You are!"

Yami suddenly turned on Yugi. "How?!"

"By not answering my questions!"

"I do not want the whole world to know!"

//So tell me this way.//

"I...I cannot. It hurts too much." He sat down on a chair in the kitchen.

"You can't tell me? I thought I was your best-." Yugi stopped and gasped when Atem took his shirt off. "Oh, Yami." Yugi's voice was soft. Atem stood and turned. "Yami, why?"

Atem sighed and turned back. Yugi's lip trembled and his eyes shimmered. "Hikari." Yugi left the room. "Yugi, don't." //Hikari.// Nothing. //Koi,// his mind whispered. He thought it was too soft for Yugi to feel, but he heard the door to Yugi's room slam and he felt the door to Yugi's mind slowly close.


	3. Truth

TRUTH  
(Yami POV)

Two days passed. Each night Atem went to Seto. Each time was longer and harsher than the one before . Throughout that time Yugi wouldn't talk to Atem. His door would open a few times a day for a moment, but then close again. Each time it opened he felt a wave of disappointment rush at him hard.

He braced himself on the third day of this. When the door opened he tried to get Yugi to talk to him. //Hikari. Please don't shut me out. You must understand that I hurt-// Yugi looked up at him and slammed his mind shut so fast it knocked Atem to the floor.

He lay there a few minutes, trying to compose himself. A door slammed. Yugi's grandfather had seen the whole thing. He helped Atem up.

"Sorry about him. He doesn't know it, but I hear him cry sometimes," he said. Atem didn't look shocked. "You should try talking to him."

"I can't. I'm late for Seto's," he lied. "Maybe you should," he added quickly before disapearing down the stairs.

"You're making it a habit," Seto said as they made their way to the basement. "Your back and chest are raw. You don't give them time to heal. Wouldn't it be easier to just tell me what you think you did to need to be punished?"

Atem sighed and sat in a chair, Seto sitting in one across from him. "I hurt him. I hurt the one I love most."

"Hurt who? How?"

"I have not told him. I do not know how to. I am just a spirit; he would reject me," Yami said.

Seto decided if he couldn't get a name from Atem, he would figure it out on his own. "How do you know he would reject you?"

"I called him something and he slammed his door in response." Atem sighed again and looked at his hands in his lap. "He has not talked to me since."

"What did you call him?" Seto asked accusingly, thinking it was something bad.

"Koi."

"When did this...When did you...When did he...?" Seto was shocked into speachlessness.

Atem blinked at Seto in surprise. "Three days ago."

"You have easy access to him?" Seto winced; that came out wrong. "I mean, can you see him and it won't be out of the ordinary?" Atem nodded. "You're a spirit; tell him in his dreams."

"He shut me out of his mind."

Seto now had an idea of who it might be. He just had to get Atem to say the name to confirm. But, first thing first. "Who hurt you?"

"I did. I love him so much it hurts. I didn't think it was accepted today. It was when I was pharaoh. I hear about people getting killed because of it. But you are right; I have to tell him."

"Now you just need to tell me who you love so much." Atem hesitated. "You'll feel better."

Atem nodded and answered. "Yugi."


	4. What Really Happened

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED  
(Yugi POV)

Yugi was sitting on his bed with his knees to his chest. There was a knock on his door. "Come in, Grandpa," he called weakly.

His grandfather poked his head in. "How did you know it was me?"

"Who else could it be? Atem's at Seto's; most likely getting whipped again." Yugi's voice squeeked at the end and he started to let the tears flow down his cheeks and fall onto his knees, which he pulled closer to his chest.

"Yugi, do you know how much he's hurting right now?"

"No. I shut him out. He tried to tell me, but I shut him out again."

"So that's why he was on the floor."

Yugi looked up shocked. "Did I hurt him?"

"Physically? I don't think so. But I think you hurt his feelings," Solomon mused, walking to Yugi's bed. "Are you sure he's not going to Seto's because you're shutting him out?"

Yugi shook his head, but before he could respond he heard footsteps walking slowly up the stairs to the house. "I'm home," Yami's voice called from the stairs.

Solomon squeezed Yugi's hand. "I suggest you stop shutting him out," he whispered. "We're in here, Atem," he called.

Atem walked to the doorway. Solomon turned to his grandson and winked, then he left.

There was a long pause. Atem stayed in the doorway, not wanting to move too quickly and scare his hikari.

Yugi sighed. "Come in. This is your room, too." Atem did, but only one step in. "Yami, you can close the door." Atem did that too, slowly, but didn't move after that. They were in almost complete darkness. Yugi sighed again. "How was your whipping?"

"He didn't whip me tonight. He refused to. Something about not letting myself heal."

Yugi looked confused. "He didn't?" Atem shook his head. There was another long pause while Yugi gathered his thoughts. Atem, thought, did not move.

"Yami." Yugi finally broke the silence. "Do I hurt you?

Atem was surprised. He took a few steps toward Yugi, but then stopped. He stepped back, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking at the floor.

"Yami," Yugi whispered. More tears ran down his cheeks. He got off the bed slowly and moved to the spirit. He wrapped his arms around Atem so suddenly he heard him gasp. "Please, answer me. I...I don't want to hurt you," Yugi sobbed.

"Yugi." Yugi let go of Atem to let him continue. "No. You did not hurt me in the beginning. It only hurt when you shut me out."

"And before? What did I do the day I saw you at Kaiba's?"

"That was not you."

Yugi didn't believe him. "OK." He turned and walked back to his bed and crawled under the covers.


	5. Yugi Talks To Tea

YUGI TALKS TO TEA  
(Yugi POV)

"Yugi! You're going to be late for school if you don't get up now!" an angry voice yelled from downstairs.

"OK," Yugi yawned. "Yami. Come on, Yami, time to get up." He reached to the other side of his bed to wake Atem. He felt nothing and started to panic. "Yami?" No answer. "Yami!" He sat up, but then had an idea. He carefuly opened his mind. /Yami?/ His voice still sounded panicked.

//I'm here.//

/You scared me./

There was a glow to the puzzle and Atem was sitting on the bed. "I am sorry, hikari." Yugi ignored him and started getting ready for school. "Are you still angry?" Yugi still didn't answer. "You are, you know."

Yugi looked up at him. "I am what? I'm not mad at you. I was, but-."

"No," Atem chuckled. "I mean, you are my best friend."

"Oh." Yugi went back to what he was doing. With that, Atem left Yugi in peace and went back into the puzzle.

The walk to school was uneventful. Atem didn't talk to him. Yugi was deep in thought, though, and didn't mind the silence.

"Yugi, wait up," a female voice behind him called.

He turned to see who was calling him and imedietly closed his side of his link with Atem. "Tea." Yugi hugged his friend-since-kindergarden.

"How was your vacation? It's been a week since I last saw you. What did you do all that time without calling me?" She said this all in one breath, stressing the last few words.

"Oh, the usual me stuff. Actually, helped Grandpa with the shop." They continued on their way.

"Oh. I bet you had more fun than I did."

"Not as much as you think." Tea looked at him questioningly. "Yami and I had a fight." Tea was shocked. "It started four days ago, and it's still going on."

"What happened?"

"He felt he had to punish himself. Don't ask me why; he hasn't told me. I don't think he ever will."

"Do you know if it was something you did?"

Yugi shook his head. "He said it wasn't, but...I don't know." The bell rang. "I'll see you after school." He opened his link again, instantly regretting it.

//What was that about?// Atem teased.

/Shut it./ He closed the link again.

He was walking home with Tea. They had agreed to go to her house to study.

"How's everything going?" Tea asked.

"OK, I guess. First day back was boring."

"Yeah, but it's always like that after vacation." Tea hesitated. "Yugi?"

"Yeah?" He looked at her.

"Would you...? What would you say if I...?" She couldn't think of a good way to ask.

"Tea, you OK?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I just...What do you thing of me as?"

"A friend. Why?" He stopped.

"You don't think we could be anything more?"

He shook his head and looked down. "I'm sorry. My heart hurts for someone else right now. But I don't think h- sh- that someone feels the same."

They started walking again, slower now. "Who?" she asked, curious now. Her disappiontment vanished. He shook his head. "Come on. You can tell me."

Yugi rolled his eyes at Tea's puoting face. "Promise you won't laugh?" She nodded. "Promise you won't hate or reject me?" Another nod. He made sure his link with Atem was blocked. "It's Yami."


	6. Blackmail

BLACKMAIL  
(changing POV)

Tea gasped, which made Yugi wince. "Oh, Yugi," she giggled. "That's cute. That was a good one. Great joke."

Yugi looked at her threateningly. "I wasn't joking." He didn't notice his link had unblocked when he winced. "You'll see. I'll make him see, too."

//Make who see what?// Atem asked.

Yugi paled. /Nothing. It's nothing./

"Yuig? You OK? I'm sorry I laughed. I didn't know you truely love-."

"Tea, I'm sorry. I have to go," Yugi interrupted. He ran to the game shop and left Tea standing stunned.

//Yugi, calm down and tell me who Tea was talking about.//

Yugi ran up the stairs. /No. No. I can't. It's a curse. I'll be teased by you./ Yugi leaned against his far bedroom wall and slid down it with his knees to his chest.

//Slow down. Calmly tell me what you are mumbling about.//

/Tea asked me out,/ Yugi blurted. There was no answer from Atem. /I'm sorry. Yami? You still there?/

//Yes. I hope you two are happy together-.//

/I said no./ There was a stunned silence. /I'm...in love with.../ He couldn't believe he was going to tell him; couldn't believe he was saying it.

"Yugi?" His grandfather stood in the doorway. "You okay?" Yugi nodded. "Good. I need your help." Yugi nodded again, and Solomon left.

"You're in love with who?" Yugi didn't look at Atem, who had suddenly appeared. "Yugi, please." But Yugi got up and ran after his grandfather. Atem sighed.

The phone rang. "Hello. Mutou residence," Atem answered.

"Yugi?" He sighed, this time with relief; it was Tea.

"No. Yugi's busy."

"Oh." There was a small uncomfortable pause.

"Maybe you can help me. I couldn't get it out of Yugi-."

"If it's Yugi's busness, he's the only one to tell you; not me."

"I thought you might say that," Atem chuckled. "He told me you asked him out." He tried to get his answer a different way.

"Yeah, I did. He said no."

"Do you know why?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you." She hesitated. "Unless you answer my question correctly." He could hear the smirk in Tea's voice.

"That's blackmail." Tea giggled. "Okay. I'll play along. Ask away." He smiled.

"What is Yugi to you?" There was no hesitation this time.

The smile faded. "He's my best friend."

"I hear a 'but' there," Tea teased. "If there is, you may get your answer."

"There is. I want him to be more. I just do not think...What if he is not...you know...that way?"

"So you love him?" Tea asked softly.

"Very much. But I do not have a chance."

"I have good news and...well, better news." She waited. When there was no answer she continued. "The good news is, you answered my question right. I'm sorry to also inform you that you are quite blind."

"Are you trying to tease me? That's the better news-?"

"No, no, no. That was still just the good news. The better news is Yugi said no to me because he loves someone else."

"Tea," Atem warned.

"Okay, okay. Jeez. Are you so blind as to not see? I mean, it's obvious isn't it? He's in love with you!"


	7. Confession

CONFESSION  
(both)

"Yami. There you are." Yugi put a box into Atem's arms. "Where were you?" He stopped, though, when he saw Atem's expression.

"I was on the phone. Tea called." He put the box down.

Yugi paled. /Uh oh./

"Uh oh is right. She told me-."

Yugi ran before he could finish. Atem, though, ran after him. //Oh no you don't.// he grabbed Yugi's arm.

/What did she tell you?/ Yugi tensed in Atem's grip.

//She told me...// He brushed his lips against Yugi's. //...that I was punishing myself for no reason.//

Yugi gasped when Atem pulled back. "You mean you had Seto whip you because you love me?"

"I was in pain. I did not know what it was until yesterday; when Seto made me talk. I figured out, then, that it was love so strong that it hurt."

"Love hurts."

"Yeah," Atem chuckled. "I know that, now."

"Guess what."

"Hmm?"

Yugi closed the gap between them and brushed his lips against his yami's. "I love you, too," he said against his lips. He then deepened the kiss.

There was applause at the top of the steps. Tea and Solomon stood there. "It's about time, you two."

The boys ignored the, smiling, and continued to kiss.


End file.
